Portland Observer
Behind the wall
Larry Baker »35031.
O.S.P. Correa,«
“I want the Albina community to r» t
involved, so that is why I am here.'*
Those are the words from a youthful
looking Black Methodist minister, Austin
Ray, as he and a trustee of tie Hughes
Memorial Methodist Church cf) Portland.
Bill McCurley. toured the /acilities of
O.S.P. last month.
Reverend Ray. married, with seven
children, ranging from six months to
twelve years, had just become the new
pastor of Hughes Memorial and had come
to O.S.P. to see what avenues could be
opened to help men about to be released
from O.S.P. establish themselves once
returned to society.
Ray, who graduated from East Wash
ington State College in 1974. then went to
Seminary United Theology in Dayton.
Ohm, and worked under Social Mental
Health Division with youth and also did
his associated ministry at Philip Temple
CM E in 1975.
It was refreshing to the Black inmates
to see Reverend Ray taking an interest in
their future and he had the chance to
speak with a great many of them.
by Michael Jacob Stanton
1 would like to share with you some
thoughts of mine concerning the present
penal and correctional system that the
State of Oregon has evolved to handle its
criminal offenders. I will not w rite you a
life history. I will only give you a glimpse
of the misery and hypocrisy my eyes have
seen in the ten years of my social exile in
various state institutiona.
My first exile began when I was
sixteen, where 1 was snagged up from the
community as a deranged youth and
bundled off to a state hospital after a
brief appearance in juvenile court. I was
due to be released that day, only I chose
to speak up and voice my discontent and
discord for a society that feels it must
lock up its citizens for speaking openly
and freely.
Once there. I was thrown in among
withdrawing addicts, hardened criminals,
and severely deranged mental patients.
Scared to death. Doses of brain numbing
drugs, padded cells, barbed wire, chain-
linked fence and th irty days later shipped
back to the commiting court. Judged to
be a sociopath, I was committed to a
“youth work ranch" for close to a year,
K
To the Editor:
This is m response to an article in your
"Letters to the Editor" column which
appeared in the first week of April
edition of your newspaper. The article in
question was concerning your "Behind
The W all" column Editor. There is a
consensus of thought among the majority
of the inmates here that the praise given
Larry Baker was undue. The inmates,
myself included, are very concerned
about the type of material that your
correspondent is presenting to the public.
The fact is that you are getting only one
side of a grave and serious situation.
Your correspondent is painting roses on
the Administrative staff here, and pro
claiming that the programs they have to
offer here for inmates to take advantage
of are working. Also that they are here
just for the asking. It's not like that.
Your correspondent is a very selfish man.
Interested only in self gain, he is a puppet
of the institution/for the institution be
cause he is doing slot of time and feels
that if he scratches the backs of the
Administration they will in return
scratch his back. Perhaps by way of an
Phil Laae »39520
Correa;
Thursday. April 13, 1978
Page 3
C R E A T IO N
The artisan, seeking inspiration.
Kneads wet clay, moves toward a potters wheel.
Begins to express an image from within.
Julius D . Snowden «38013,
Poetry Editor
“Flourish now and multiply,
My blessings shall be with you.
Remember now from whence you come.
That life is yours, on lease, in love.”
In a kiln the creation waits
As waves of heat play upon its
Hidden vales and newformed mountains.
Ageless truths were all bestowed.
Warnings too were given to heed.
Then, all final touches ‘pplied
He proudly displayed his work.
Deserts form their silent threats.
Oceans dance their restless song -
As islands rest upon their waves.
Today can still be seen his craft.
Though a tarnish hides its beauty.
Word is out 'round the universe;
The potter's growing ev’r more tired
Of baking clay that cracks anon.
Fertile pastures, thriving forests,
Rushing rivers, still, silent lakes
Enhance the beauty of the orb.
Life erupts upon the face
As primal breath moves throughout;
The silent wraith of promise.
Take heed, haughty world above;
The kiln is warming up ‘gain.
Unless the faults deep within
The seething mass you all call life
Have changed, in deed, soon disappeared.
Your form will meet the potter’s hand
And neath the pressure of his grip.
You’ll once again return to naught...
To form the dust of potters clay.
A cosmic gong sends forth a peal...
Creators hands are eased within.
Gently withdraw the fresh new world.
Thought waves pierce all consciousness
Upon this steaming virgin world.
Leaving memories deep within.
Shanti Singh Reeves
Reverend Austin Ray, Paster ol Hughes Memorial United Methodist Church, and
trustee Bill McCurley, visit with inmates.
where I was to begin my second e *il“ .
Incidently, this work ranch was owned by
the "ex-director” of that same juvenile
court. I was compensated well for my
labor, being paid 95 per month for eight
hours a day of hard physical labor.
Rehabilitation consists of digging post
holes in hard rocky ground by hand!
The dead end of society, the state
prison, is the last stop for the criminal
misfits and social derelects, save for
execution. I t is here where families are
broken up. It is here where men are
robbed of what little self worth they
might have left. I t is here where men
hone their anger and bitterness to perfec
tion, to be ultimately vented back on
society when released.
This institution wants to make men
hate. It wants a man to lose his family
and property. I t knows that a family
finds it hard to stay together when it
loses its breadwinner. And the prison
authorities openly discourage any at
tempt the inmate might have to keep the
line of communication open. Visiting is
restricted and limited. Medical and per
sonal care is negligible. The only honest
and sincere communication this institu
tion lays on the public is the desire to
early release date or approval for a
transitional program.
M y concern, and the concern of others
who are serving time is that the truth is
being denied to the public.
Also the
issues that should be brought to the
public and the citizens of your local
community are not being printed.
I have been a reader of your paper for
years, however at this time I have to
question the intention of your paper. Is
the news media an avenue of communi
cating true facts to the people as they
happen, or are you just trying to sell
more papers. That is irregardless of the
lack of validity to the material printed.
A t this time with your present corre
spondent the "Behind The W all” column
is...doing more harm then good to the
inmates behind these walls. This past
legislative session officials passed a num
ber of bills that are having adverse
affects on prisoners lives. There is a
parole board chairman who continues to
state that he doesn't care what a person
does to rehabilitate ones self while he is
incarcerated, all he’s interested in is
retribution...which is in violation of the
Oregon Constitution. (According to Arti-
IRS offers
assistance
punish and degrade.
In and out. in and out, and now I'm 26
years old. judged to be dangerous and
maladjusted - getting my due punish
ment. No longer will the State of Oregon,
the United States of America or the
community use me for a whipping boy.
No longer will I keep a low profile and
hide my head. It is my duty and right to
tell the community about the misery and
defeat it has dealt on itself to create
monsters of hate out of misled men.
I f you rob and kill on paper, commit
heinous acts against the people in the
name of “national security" or interest of
the state, then your success is assured.
At worse, you may be forced to make
restitution, resign from office, or be
sentenced to a country club prison. One
such person is known to reside at San
Clemente with full government support
and protection. M y, how the taxpayers
are gullible!
The moral fiber of the American State
is reaching its lowest point. I t is doomed!
The second American revolution is in the
making! The fate of the American people
is sealed. America is asking for, and
getting, the terrorists and criminals it
deserves. W ill we survive till 1984?
P O R T LA N D , O REG ON - Internal Re
venue Service offices and telephone ser
vices throughout Oregon will be open
extra hours as the filing deadline ap
proaches to provide assistance to taxpay
ers preparing their Federal income tax
returns.
All IRS offices and telephone services
throughout Oregon will be open until 6:45
p.m. on A pril 17th. Since the A pril 15th
deadline day for filing federal income tax
returns falls on a weekend this year,
taxpayers have until midnight of the
following Monday, April 17th, to timely
file their 1977 returns.
Statewide toll-free telephone assis
tance will be available on Saturday, April
15th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The
telephone lines are normally operated
from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. They
will be open until 6:45 p.m. ofr Monday,
April 17th.
The toll-free telephone numbers are:
Portland dialing area: 221-3960; Salem
dialing area: 581-8720; Eugene dialing
area: 485-8285; all other areas in Oregon:
1-800-452-1980.
Offices located in Portland, Salem,
Eugene and Medford will be open on
de 1) of the Constitution: laws are to be
Saturday, A pril 15th, from 10:00 a.m.
based upon the concept of reformation,
until 2:00 p.m. Both Federal and State
not punishment.
-
. tax assistance will be available in Port
This state of affairs is serving to turn a
land, Salem and Eugene.
prison that was once one of the safest in
the nation into a hell hole-jungle where
human life is worth less then the cost of a
pack of cigarettes. These are the issues,
and situations that the people should be
made aware of. Not the praise of the staff
Voter registration forms will be avail
that has been coming out in your “Behind
able at Albina Human Resources Center,
The W alls” column.
5022 N. Vancouver Avenue, from A pril
They say that the truth is the light, and
10th through May 2nd. According to Ben
will set you free. I believe this, so let’s
Talley, Center Manager, tables will be
seek the truth. Your correspondent is
established in the lobbies of the Eastwing
speaking for himself, not the inmate
and the Westwing. In order to vote in the
population.
May Primaries, all interested persons
Thank you for your time, and I hope
eighteen and over and residing in Oregon
that you print my letter, in fact I
are urged to register, if they have not
challenge you to; just to see what type of
already done so.
real responses you will get.
Service Unit personnel will be avail
able at the Center to answer any ques
W illie B. Barrett *34648
tions.
King revealed death plot fear
N E W Y O R K - M artin Luther King, Sr.
revealed that days before the assassina
tion of his son, he and his wife were told
by M artin Luther King, Jr. to expect the
“sudden” murder.
In an exclusive article in McCall’s
magazine, published recently, Reverend
King wrote that his son had told him, “I
want you...to know this. There is a very
good chance th a t...I might be murdered.
Any day this could happen, any night.
And I w ant to tell you about it because it
will be sudden...The reports are that they
are out to get me.”
The father of the famous Black civil
rights leader wrote in McCall’s that King,
Jr. had “hinted” at the subject of assassi
nation “a number of times" in the months
preceding his death. “I knew...that he
wanted to prepare us for the possibility
that an attem pt might be made on his life.
When he called and said he was going to
stop by the house, I wasn't surprised...I
was clear to me what we were going to
talk about.”
Burdened by the belief that his life
would soon end. M artin Luther King, Jr.
confessed to his parents that he had
thoughts of leaving his work. “Some
times I want to stop. Just go away
someplace and forget that I ’m M artin
Luther King, Jr...just have some quiet
days, maybe finally a quiet life with
Coretta and the children,” he said, ac
cording to his father.
King, Sr. asserted that despite wide
spread rumors of a plot against his son’s
life, the younger King insisted it was “too
late” to back out. “I have to go on with
my work. I ’m too deeply involved now to
get out, it’s all too important," he
reportedly told his parents. “I have my
path before me. I know what I have to
do.”
M artin Luther King, Sr. claimed that
“the tension” and “the changes in M artin
Luther over a period of months” were
signs that foretold the tragedy.
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